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LARKSHORE LODE
Submission to the Antarctica Jam of 2025β¨
Steven Ringsmuth Stolpman, Designer, Writer, Illustrator
Lavamuppet, co-writer, social media handleβ¨
Larkshore Lode is a survival focused, low fantasy hexcrawl for the fog shrouded coast of a greened Antarctic. It is Tile L of the larger Brinemarch Coast, a 27 tile map built for the 2025 OSR Antarctica Jam. Here, meteors fall every summer, the land reshapes itself through the Churn, and summer brings a sun that refuses to set.
It is part of a larger Brinemarch Coast setting. The Brinemarch setting was created for the 2025 OSR Antarctica Design Jam.
BRINEMARCH SIZE Brinemarch covers a relatively large region for a hex crawl (though it is average for most of the Jam claims), it is roughly the size of South Carolina (32,020 square miles with 30,061 sq. mi. of land). The Brinemarch map divides into 27 sub-regions. The term tile will refer to these sub-regions. Tiles are each about 61 hexes. β¨β¨ This module is about Tile L: Larkshore Landing.β¨β¨The layout of tiles looks like this:
_ _ _ A. B. C. D. E. F. ))))β¨ _ _ G. H. I. J. K. L. (((((((((( _ _ _M. N. O. P. Q. R. ))))β¨ _ _S. T. U. V. W. X. ((((((((((β¨ Y. Z. A&. AA. ))))))))))))β¨))))) ((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((
TERMS: 1 Low-fantasy: magic as an intrusion on a familiar world.β© 2 Hex crawl (two words) will refer to games that use a hex map to support play, generally. β¨Hexcrawl (one word) will refer to games that function only with hex-by-hex map. β¨Hexcrawling will refer to gameplay procedures that interact with a hex map or its territory.β© ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ THE BRINEMARCH SETTING
In this timeline, everyone has ways of remembering legendary tsunamis and sunken cities. The Namers of the Stars in Brinemarch watch the sky. In the last century, they predicted all but one major meteor strike.
Falling stars broke up the Antarctic ice sheets long ago, so a greened coastline greeted small boats from what we call Tierra del Fuego and the Andes of South America around 8,000 BCE.
Today, the people living here call themselves People of the Canoe and the People of the Tide, or Tide Folk and Canoe Folk. In their tongue this coastline is called the βWoven Wallβ. To you, it sounds like βBrinemarch.ββ¨β¨
In this setting, asteroids pelt the southern hemisphere at the end of of spring until the rivers freeze for winter. Children know the schedule for asteroid strikes. Predicting the next fallen star is a major concern for all nations.
One local religion is based on astronomy and geometry. Euclidia of Alexandria credited tutelage under a Brinemarch wayfarer for opening the Golden Road to geometry. She criticized the wayfarerβs superstitions about the ratio we call Phi and dismissed talk of extra-dimensions as fantasy. Ashwind was the home of that wayfarer.
The landscape here reconfigures daily. Some characters may be familiar with the ways of the land, but most will not.
Adventuring in Antarctica is not done in the winter. In winter, a fury of white dragons return from their exile. All people retreat to long term shelters.. Those who do not seek shelter have not been heard from again.
β¨β¨β¨In summer there is the sun that never sets. It wanders. It hangs. It never falls. Sleep becomes uncertain. Minds stretch thin, reality flickers, and the light never dies.
β¨ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
β¨β¨INSOMNIAC SUNβ¨ Roll 1d6 after 3 days without full rest*. Resets after proper rest or 6+ hours of sleep in complete natural darkness. β¨β¨
Note: Tents and blindfold with [blackout] grant a reroll on the table.
β¨1 Gain full rest. Reset trigger to 0
2 A high-frequency buzz. NPCs whisper.β¨
3 The sun stares. PC cannot be surprised. No rest.
4 Silhouettes dance or disappear. Fall risk doubled.β¨
5 Glare: Objects appear in double at long distances.β¨
6 Migraine, no rest. No healing. Give full rest to another.
*Does not apply to locals, if asked they say they have an understanding with the spirit of wakefulness.β¨
ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
β¨ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
β¨WEATHER PROCEDURE In Spring: It is always windy. β¨In Summer*: It is always hot.β¨In Autumn: It is always cold.β¨In Winter: It is always freezing.β¨β¨1x/hex each day. Roll 2d6, take lowest. If doubles, add thunder & lightning.β¨β¨ **2d6 | Brinemarch Weather ** | 1 | Dry; clear, full visibility. | 2 | Mist, visibility reduced to 1 hexβ¨ | 3 | Rain; waters rise (travel speed: 1/2 on land, 2x on river) | 4 | Heavy Rain, floods (can canoe anywhere) β¨ | 5 | Freezing rain, slickβ¨ | 6 | Snow (arcane, rivers freeze for now) β¨β¨ *Dry = β¨β chance of a fire in hex with an adaptosaurus
β¨ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ Summer is meteorite time* Meteorite Time (summer only). Each day, roll 2d6. If the dice match, a meteor strikes one hex away from the party. Use the matching number to determine direction (1= N; 2= NE; 3=SE; 4=S; 5=SE; 6=NW). The struck hex becomes TUNDRA (as an alchemical defense).
Note: If the strike lands on a point of interest, roll 1d6. On a 1, that site is destroyed or rendered unusable. Exception: If the strike would land on a Keeper of the Tide site, reroll the location since they predict impacts a year ahead.
METEORITE EVENT:β¨
- 1+1d6 adult adaptasauri arrive - 2x2d6 worg riders (hunting Adaptasauri). β¨ -All other wildlife flees. β¨ -It will have killed many creatures. β¨ -Animals and pilgrims (No. presenting = PC party size Γ 2d20) run toward PCs from that area. β¨If asked, they were visiting a ruin the Churn revealed. -10% present are injured and 50% thirsty. β¨β¨ ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
β¨|THE LARKSHORE MYKETIKON CATAPULTUS MYCORISE (Ballistic Mushrooms) Type: Hazard / Arcane
Form: bulging 1ft - 5 ft wide blue mushroom cap with purple gills. Slowly compresses gas, then erupts. Spores glow blue. Most animals scent-mark βliveβ caps, clearly avoiding casting a shadow.β¨β¨Substrate: Herbivore droppings and unclaimed bodies. β¨β¨Where: floating gardens, rocky surfaces, and shadowsβ¨β¨ If triggered by light-shadow: Spits a hot jet of gas and spores with sufficient force to kill a small bird or tattoo a hippo.
If triggered by touch: Erupts a tenβfoot plume of white spore haze. Launches target 4d6 Γ 10 ft, vertical or horizontal as adjudicated. Unskilled landings risk falling damage.
Reset: Recharges within an hour when watered (1/2 ration).
β¨ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ THE CHURN Type: Hazard / Arcane Form: Hybrid; exotic fungi vie for moisture and magic. Trigger: 1x daily roll 1d6 for a new landform. -Mana Drain: Nonβnative magic falters: 50/50 spell failure on the Plains (Spora Arcanum reacts). Dehydration: Each traveler needs +1 water ration per day (Mycoaquaticus below).
β¨TRAVEL MODIFICATION. Fast Travel has 50% chance of provoking the land. If provoked, reroll landform and add a plume of red haze over the entire hex until the next day.β¨β¨β¨
DAILY TOPOGRAPHY (1d6):
1 Spongy hills: Sound is swallowed; stealth is easier, but movement is tiring.
2 Fissures: Depth equals the tallest thing on the horizon. 3 Firm Plane: Faint glowing hyphae threads grow in footstepsβ¨
4 River valley: Always runs parallel to the nearest river.β¨
5 Hillocks: Low vantage, little cover; good for spotting, bad for hiding.β¨
6 Karst: Sinkholes, echo, ing caverns, unstable ceilings, hidden structures.β¨β¨β¨
DAILY RETURNS (1d6) Each day, roll 1d6 for what the land βgives back.β
Ruins Stir: -A sign of settlement emerges (foundation, shrine, framework). Sinks in rain.
Stone Surface: -A stationary megalithic cube, weighing twice the party. -Touch grants vision of 1 fact about 1 of 6 adjacent hexes. -If several touch at once, they share a mind for now; the unskilled vomit.
Corpse Pose: -No. corpses presenting = party size + 1d6 (type = last species encountered). Each corpse was held together by hyphae and a glowing hot wire. -If disturbed, corpses rise as fragile lichenβbound zombies that spit glowing slime (no effect) and cough RED HAZE
-Each hugs a clay jar ROLL 1d3, inside the jar is a: a) Brineocular wine with memory pearl. b) Full water ration. c) Golden Siphon. Holds 1 of the last 3 spells cast.
Sacred Well: -Clean, drinkable water. -Surrounded by 2d12 lichenβbound zombies (type = last species encountered). -They are looking into the well. There is an object the party lost; if none, a deeply familiar trinket.β¨
Red Haze (see RED HAZE) -Red fog: penalties to vision, lasts 1 hour. -When it clears, immediately roll for an encounter.
Catapultus Mycorise: -The party blunders into a field of ballistic mushrooms (see: Catapultus Mycorise).
β¨ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ SPORA ARCANUM (Golden Siphon)β¨Type: Hazard / Resource / Endemic Form: Fruiting body; an orange-yellow shelf fungi with metallic gold leaf gills.β¨β¨ Trigger: Successful spellcastingEffect: 50% spell will βfailβ and have no immediate effect. 1d6 Spora Arcanum sprout within 20 paces of the casting.
Note: Each mushroom holds a 1Γ copy of the failed spell, contains 1β2 a water ration. It must be βsqueezedβ to cast the stored spell 1x, thereβs a burst of heat as it withers into ash.
Warning: After 24 hours, it becomes dry and inert unless soaked in a full ration of water for 1 minute to revive.β¨
β¨ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
MYCOAQUATICUS (Canteen Mushroom) Type: ResourceForm: Fruiting body; a blue-green puff mushroom with a cool interior.β¨ β¨Substrate: Spora Arcanumβ¨Trigger: Any successful spellcasting; process takes between 1 and 2 minutes Effects: Grow 2 for each spell successfully cast, place within 4 paces of the casting. Note: This can be reused like a waterskin or eaten for moisture and food.
β¨ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
RHIZOFERRUM
(Red: Bloom, Haze, Sight & Ruin)
Note locals carry their iron, never store it
Form: spores, dormant in living warmβblooded creatures. Maintains dormancy of the Red Bloom as long as proximity is kept.
Trigger: A beating heart (warm) within 5 ft suppresses bloom: iron carried by the living remains protected. Conversely Red Bloom spreads if iron is more than 5 ft and 5 seconds away from any beating, warm heart, or the carrier dies. Once started, it does not stop unless saturated with Brineocula.
β¨ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ Form:RED BLOOM (Active Rust Rot)
Notice Heat and discoloration of iron and a wet root smell as hyphae threads (red) spread through iron and nearby materials. Skin forms, then pits through into honeycombs and gills. The structure convulses, belching spores: a RED HAZE forms (see also: RED ROT) before hardening as a redβblack ironβsilicate Red Rust Ruin.
β¨ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
Form RED RUST RUIN
-Hyperβmagnetic; pulls loose metal, distorts compasses, hums
-Warm to the touch, riddled with tunnels used by ice beetles for nesting.
β¨ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ RED-SIGHT Type: Health condition; Lung tissue Trigger: -Inhalation of Red Haze spores. -Ends if the victim bathes in Brineocular solution.
Effects: -Can smell metal: automatically detects all metal within 4 paces -Cannot see metals: Armor, coins, tools βdrop outβ of perception. -Cannot speak about metal: speech stalls, redirects, into euphemism -Can see a glow around fungal forms and lichen-bound creatures
β¨ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ RED HAZE Released in step 5 of the Red Bloom, β¨Fast Travel, stirring up hidden red blooms inside THE CHURN. Settles after 1 hour Effects:β¨ -βMagneticβ: drifts and clings toward exposed iron first, then to any other metal.β¨ -Irritant: penalties to vision and ranged actions.β¨ -Lure: attracts Large Ice Beetles and their predators.
β¨ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ THE MEMORY MOTHER Type: Ethereal / Entity
Form: Aquatic forms. (2d6) 12β diameter at largest, as an orange-red rubbery sand dollar with 9+ eyes of different color irises. It can βseeβ the timeline from outside current events. Baby mother looks like an eyeball, takes 3 years for a brine to produce 1 viable pearl.
Substrate: Water + Polegrass pulp + Polarized Human Emotion (grief, hope, hate)
β¨Trigger: Drop of blood, or a Memory Pearl (see below)β¨β¨ Note: Process stops if any part comes in contact with any metal β¨β¨Trigger: Ingestion + Psychological Stateβ¨β¨Effect: A vision of a place within the Memory Mother, congruent with the state of the visitor. ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
Tile: LARKSHORE : β¨Size: 61 hexes ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
Biome: Coastal / Sub-Arcticβ¨Terrain: Gardens / Plains / Tundra / Wetlands ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ Claimants: Imperial / Indigenous / Ancient / Mercenaryβ¨β¨ β¨β¨ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ Danger Notes: -Meteors are pulled by subterranean lodestones -All lakes are guarded by a legendary [Adaptosaurus]; travelers carry water or go thirsty. β¨ -Dry days often β lead to wildfire around Adaptosauriβ¨β¨
β¨ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ Environment: Thick young pole grass with rare low trees, wildfire-scarred. Air is pleasant until the ash smell returns from the northwest. β¨ ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
LARKSHORE ENCOUNTERS
(number presenting = (set size no.) + ((party no. ) * (1d6))
ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
Coastal
Wetlands
Land
Tundra
ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
1
Salt water geysers erupt, mists may cause disorientation, and there is a β
chance of being toppled.
Capybara family (4)
Ice Beetles (100) laying eggs in a hole 1d20 meters wide.
Orcs stitching up the fresh dead.
ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
2
Penguins trading (12)
jumping Centipedes (3) β¨(1d4 tiny, small, medium, large)
Aardbadger pack
. Deep thud rolls through permafrost, liquifies into bog. Green mist curls from earth, causes nausea, confusion, memory loss. Animals fall prone. Flames die.
ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
3
Pilgrims (12) trying to find the waterfall |118-576|β¨
Seals, or Pigs (4)
Hippopotamuses (2)
Crust softens, liquifies. Poor footing sinks to thighs. Objects lost. Stabilizes
ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
4
Crab children swarm, rapidly approaching. Smell provisions / live flesh.
Seagull or β¨Wood Duck (4)
Locals hunting (6)
2 groups of trolls in standoff. No elders. Both offer safety if you judge the other.
ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
5
shoreside Orca** (1) rides a huge crashing wave. Bites the biggest group member. Bisected (dead) OR SAVE by sacrificing all gear -1 item. Then it returns to the ocean.
Terror Birds (2)
Imperials surveying (4)
ce beetle swarm
ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
6
Mirrorlings (1 like NPC) ()
Hippopotamuses (4)
Worg (1)
1d6 worg riders (orcs) harass a merchant with a rifle.
ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
β¨ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ GEAR / GOODS ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
Trading posts carry starting gear available in sourcebook + 1d6 items ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
The Casino Outfitter carries explorer pack gear + basic hirelings. β¨ Standard canoe folk gear: oil lamp, short bow and arrows (glass or stone tip), hippo-hype cloak, iron medallion, foot gear.β¨ ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
7 Blessed Bronze Markers: blessed-lawful, scalding hot, weighs 100 lbs., will not move without Bronze Tongs). These ward that blocks the undead / improperly dead. 2 must be blessed by the same cleric to link and form a βwallβ. ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
[] Bronze tongs necessary to lift a Blessed Bronze Marker as 1/2 weight ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
[] Sleeping gas bomb: inhalation, effect: paralytic, as a sleep spell (poison, non-magical)β¨ ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ [] Paralytic Spray Jel: sprays gel 2 paces (10ft)β¨β¨β¨ β¨ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ [] [Ursular charms] 1x daily silence any single verbal phrase. Targets spell casters, tacticians, bards.
β¨ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ HORIZONS ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ Geysers in the tundra to the north. β¨
Smoke signals from Brine Bear Lodge, Lark Shore trading post and the Surveyor camp on a clear day.β¨
Mariners recognize the distinctive outcropping at |118-580| that resembles the head and mouth of a Brine Bear eating the tide.β¨
|120-583| island with massive banners for Grand Larkshore Hotel & Casino.β¨β¨
β¨ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ Interest Points (POI) ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
β¨|β¨β¨β¨115-575| Little Lionsport Castle:: undead labor; run by Duke & Duchess of Yessington in trust of the emperor. Avoids contact with local imperials. Hostile to the outpost or ship graveyard. The lead librarian has negotiated a warlock contract with the Vizier of an ancient queen. β¨β¨β¨ |118-580| Outcropping which looks like the head and mouth of a Brine Bear eating the tide, contains smuggling cave and tunnels up to |118-578|β¨ ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ |122-580| A bubbling hot mud lake (as quick sand) hosting a clutch of 2d6 Adaptosaurus eggs. β¨β¨β¨β¨ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ |120-576| A pristine crater-lake with a pair of adaptosauri grazing on lake kelp.β¨β¨|121-580| Shrine surrounded by 100 stone canoes. ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ |120-583| Grand Lark Hotel & Casino owned by the Carrion Guild. The retreat center provides outfitters for tourists and pilgrims.β¨β¨ ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ |116-572| Lark Brook Headwater; an aqueduct of copper and brass tubing feeds the Imperial surveyor outpost. ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ |118-573| Little Bear River Headwater; Memory Mother Marsh (See Brinemarch Sentiarium)β¨ β¨ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ |118-576| Little Bear Waterfalls and Trading Post.β¨β¨β¨ β¨ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ |118-579| Brine Bear Lodge; Keepers of the Tides β¨ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ |119-576| Grand Lark Visitor Center. 1d100 tourists camping. ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ |117-571| Hot Spring. No churn here, stable ground. β¨ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ |120-574| Cave, home of Brine Bear (as dire bear) family (2 adults + 1d6 cubs)β¨ β¨ ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ |114-579| Airfield. d20Γ100 decommissioned airships with lodestones pulled; hundreds of treeless acres. Barracks and a small stone fort on a small hill. Onsite well water tastes like iron. Windy, very warm hats needed. Imperial troops do not leave the base. They arrive/leave by airship; patrols of 4 sharpshooters; indiscriminate toward wildlife or intruders. They guard mothballed airships and a vault which includes 1 month of payroll and an unread panel of the Obsidian Codex (as spell tablet).β¨β¨ β¨ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ |114-577| A steamy crater lake. Young [Adaptosauri] family; warm year-round; edible reeds and fish. β¨ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ |122-571| Penguin haven; 1000 x 1d6 penguins.β¨β¨ β¨ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ |123-574| Memory Mother Marsh. Seasonal stilt villages built by imperial Exiles, and Pilgrims. β¨β¨β¨β¨ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ |123-577| Memory Mother Marsh* drone colony and 2 AWOL imperial surveyors β¨β¨Judges Notes: β¨β¨There are 7 blessed bronze markers. These cannot be moved without the bronze tongs. 2 must be blessed to form a wall that can stop the Wraith.β¨ ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
β¨ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ Knowledge:β¨β¨ β¨
- half the Keepers of the Tide descend from the queen. 2. The Visitor Center canβt keep staff.β¨β¨
- Thaw Wraith is offering a bounty of a warlock contract on the death of each of the elderly matriarchs of the area Tide Folk. β¨β¨
- People are vanishing who wander alone. β¨
- Imperial Air Force never wander off base. β¨ 6.Terror Birds avoid [Adaptosauri] waters.β¨
- Wildfires are common around Adaptosauri sites. β¨
- Pirates are stealing brineocula and memory pearls. β¨β¨β¨β¨ Beneath the Churn is a giant inverted lodestones attracting the Meteors to this area. ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ Landform: β¨β¨Plains tiles are unstable due to the Churn. The churn is formed by mycelium networks in constant flux. As soon as spring thaws, they begin their cycle of rewriting the shape of the land daily. This continues until winter returns. β¨β¨ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ Monster Notes: ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ Aardbadger (as badger + insectivore) Adaptosaurus (as brontosaurus + firebreathing) Capybara (as dog) Carrion Guild bounty hunters (as fighter 4) Hippopotamuses (as hippo + wool) Ice Beetles (see bestiary) Imperial Surveyors (as cleric 3) Jumping Centipede (giant) Local hunters (as fighter 3) Mirrorling (statblock as players) Orca (as shark) Peccuary (as pig) Penguin (see bestiary) Pilgrim (as cultist 1) Seal Troll Worg rider
β¨ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ Npc ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
NAMING CONVENTIONS Keepers of the Tide live in canoes and on raft villages, they tend to spend winter in Brinemarch Bay.⨠KEEPER OF THE TIDE NAMES⨠3d8 (split into first and last)
- The name of a relationship you lost.
- Last beach you visited.
- A way to describe a movement of water
- A meteorological event
- A shape of rock or coastline
- Another word for the feeling you get when you win
- A type of change in nature
β¨PIRATE NAMES - grab a book, roll 3d8 and place longest as surname.
- last name of author, illustrator, or other contributor.
- Third word of the first full sentence after the 13th page
- Library of Congress classification 1 or 2 combined
- Nearest or last house plant (colloquial name or scientific name)
- A fast food item
- Nearest kitchen utensil or object it wasused on
- Top item in nearest garbage can
- A place to hide money
IMPERIAL NAMES⨠3d8 (split into first and last)
- Element or Principle
- A good color for a wagon
- Place where a house can stand
- A Type of Maker
- Type of Farm
- Name of Famous Warlordβ¨7. Type of Profession Any Term for A Distanceβ¨8. A term in Geometry or Navigation
β¨β¨NPCsβ¨β¨
The Duchess of Yessington hosting:β¨β¨(1d6) Little Castle Occupants (changes weekly)
1 Queen of Lionsport
2 2d20 Eta Epsilon Chi sorcerer-sisters
3 Grand Larkshore Casino researching canoe tours
4 The Headless Countess of the Ring of Fire
5 Imperial Adaptosaurus experts
6 Imperial linguists & ethnographers
β¨β¨BIBLIOGRAPHYβ¨β¨1. https://itch.io/jam/antarctica-jam 2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Low_fantasy This setting assumes a minimum 1 x per hex, per day frequency of checks for weather, travel, and encounter. It assumes player characters require a standard ration of water and food daily. Cold weather causes fatigue or hypothermia. The procedure for running a hexcrawl can be fine-tuned, or player-tables can follow other exploration rules in their own rule book. β¨